Lawmaker at center of election nomination bribery scandal questioned by police

▲ Rep. Kang Sun-woo arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul to attend her arrest warrant hearing on March 3, 2026. (Yonhap)

lawmaker-bribery scandal

Lawmaker at center of election nomination bribery scandal questioned by police

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kang Sun-woo, an independent formerly affiliated with the ruling Democratic Party (DP), was questioned by police Saturday over bribery allegations linked to the 2022 local elections.

Police said they began questioning Kang early Saturday, four days after she was arrested on Tuesday following the passage of her arrest motion in a plenary vote at the National Assembly. Kang left the DP in January to become an independent in the wake of the snowballing scandal.

Kang is accused of receiving 100 million won ($68,200) in cash from former councilor Kim Kyung ahead of the 2022 elections allegedly in exchange for her support for Kim's nomination as a DP candidate for the Seoul city council at the time.

Kim ultimately was nominated and won a city council seat in the elections.

Police believe Kang had met Kim with knowledge of the cash in advance and spent the money on a rental deposit.

Kang has rejected accusations that she accepted the money, claiming she belatedly learned of her aide's receipt of the cash.

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